The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-03-03


and the King has been known openly to
express his belief in it and to say: "As
hlng 1t behooves me only to be the first
OF democrats--to lead the spirit of the
age among my people," When his min
listers have tried sometimes to dissuade
him from visiting dreadful places in
these old cities-places infected with
cnolera-he would not be .dissuaded.
but said ~Where my people can live and
die l sure can go.''
In his present visit to Florence he
himself went to the Ghetto-the Five
Points of Florence-and when he saw
for himself what places people were
living in, he said: '.Let all these build
ings be demolished; they are not fit for
human beings to live in. A people
can't be improved as long as they live
in such places" And their charities to
help on improvements, to encourage in
dustries of every kind, to better the
educational institutions of every kind
are immense, and the economy in the
royal household, their simplicity of liv-
ing, might well be an example to thou
sands of the rich families in our republic
an country.
The Queen herself visited MANY of
the schools of various grades in the
city, and many touching stories are
told of her reception by the teachers
and the children. In one school of quite
small children all rose upon her en-
trance and came to meet her, each with
Marguerite pinned upon her heart,
and singing a beautiful little song of
welcome and love, which greatly af-
fected the royal visitor. She talked
with the teachers, inquired into the
studies of pupils. methods of conduct
ing the schools, and to-day, from stories
that are told me by persons who say
they know about these things, should
think Queen Margherita knew as well
about the practical working of schools
for the education Of the people of Italy,
as many of our county superintendents
know of the schools in their districts.
She and the King are both early risers.
He is never in bed, it is said, after six
o'clock in the morning. They, accord
ing to the Italian custom, take their
coffee and roll together. and then work,
each in his and her department, is the
order of the day. In Florence they have
almost invariably driven out in the after
noon, sometimes together and some
times in separate carriages. With the
Queen he is. when have seen them, in
a simple citizens dress. He IS a sad
looking man. He feels that in
inheriting the crown of Italy he has
inherited a heavy charge, which imposes
on him serious duties.
A lady whose acquaintance have
chanced to make here, and who is a
teacher of Italian in the house where l
am staying, told me that her husband,
who is an officer in the army. came in
haste one morning few days since say
ing that he had just learned that the
King and Queen were to visit Mr..
G-'s studio, quite near the house
where they were living, and asked her
if she would not like to take the "baby,"
as he called little boy of four years
old, perhaps, and go into the studio,
with which they were familiar, at the
same time. She arranged her dress a
little as soon as possible, took the child
and they all wentin together. The child
is beautiful, bright little fellow, whom
no one could well help caressing, which
she said both the King and Queen, en-
tirely forgetful of majesty, did just as
simply and naturally, as one Of her
neighbors would have done.
In a ..Life of Victor Emmanuel, y
written by an English woman, that has
fallen into my hands since / have been
in Florence, the writer. in giving an
account of the match and the marriage,
with which Victor Emmanuel is said to
have been much pleased, thus writes of
Margherita at the time of their mar
riage:
''Margherita was now a lovely girl of
eighteen, delicately fair, with eyes of a
deeper hue than usually accompany a
blond complexion, and smile of be-
witching sweetness. That smile is al
ways ready in answer to the large and
affectionate greetings of the people.
Whether it be gay or sad, it goes
through to the hearts Of the Italians
and stirs sentiment of respectful adj
miration in the foreign spectator.
Margherita's excellent qualities, win
ming sweetness of character and per-
sonal grace has endeared her to the
nation in an extraordinary degree, par
ticularly since her husband came to
the throne. As Princess she was beloved,
as Queen she is absolutely adored. "
She is said to be a person of most
varied requirements and has always,
with all her cares and duties, been also
a student. She speaks all the leading
languages of Europe with as much flu
ency as her own. They tell me that no
one born and bred in England speaks
English more purely and fiuently than
the Queen. She is alse especially fond
of the natural sciences, of which her